Knepp Becomes TU's Career Runs Leader in Opening Round Victory

UPLAND, Ind. – The No. 17-ranked Taylor baseball team (42-14) flexed its muscles in a 10-2 victory over No. 23 MidAmerica Nazarene (34-19) Monday afternoon in its first game of the 2024 NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round at Winterholter Field.

Starting pitcher Gabel Pentecost (8-1) was excellent in seven complete innings to carry TU, and outfielder Camden Knepp made history by becoming the Trojans' all-time leader in runs scored with his 216th career run, plated on a first-inning sacrifice fly from Brayden Manning.

Beyond Manning's sac fly, the Trojans took an early 3-0 lead by sending eight men to the plate in the opening frame, and the activity was paid off on a two-run double by Luke Picchiotti.

Pentecost worked around a couple hits and a pair of errors in the field to put up zeroes through three frames, though a sacrifice fly for the Pioneers in the fourth inning made it 3-1.

The TU lineup scuffled for a few innings, but it broke out in the bottom of the fifth on a rally started by a Knepp hit-by-pitch. Mason David and Sam Gladd immediately went back-to-back with homers to left and right field, respectively, that gave the second-seeded Trojans a five-run lead. Facing a new arm, Picchiotti also went deep to center in the inning to make it 7-1, Taylor.

After retiring 10 straight batters, Pentecost allowed a trio of singles to MNU that brought the score to 7-2. The sophomore recovered, however, to freeze the scoreboard there as he finished his day with six strikeouts and no walks with the two runs allowed.

The Trojans put up their third crooked number of the game with a three-run eighth inning behind four singles and a walk. Fletcher Roemmich and Rylee Singleton each had RBIs in the frame as they put the hosts in front, 10-2.

Matt Dutkowski closed the outing on the mound as he retired six of the seven Pioneers he faced, recording one strikeout.

Behind the plate, Jacob Caruso notched his 98th career runner-caught-stealing as part of a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out in the third inning.

Offensively, David and Picchiotti both had three-hit days, while Ben Kennedy amassed two base knocks.

No. 17 Taylor is slated to play RV Indiana Southeast (34-18) on Tuesday at 1:10 p.m.